Hi does any one know why Harrington High School was called this.The school is now Farnley Park High which i attended and before Harrington High it was Cow Close High. Any Light Shed on this subject would be grateful.

I think it may be something to do with St Michael and All Angels’ church site in Farnley, which is only a stones throw from the school.Sir William Harrington received a Royal Licence to found a chantry on the site in 1417/18 in recognition for services to King Henry V at the battle of Agincourt.A bit of history here;http://www.farnleyparish.org.uk/stmpage ... y_001.html

I attended Cow Close Secondary Modern from 1960 - 1965.In those days the school had four 'houses' for the purpose of competitive games etc etc.They were Harrington (of which I was a member), Armitage, Danby and one other, whose name I forget at the moment (a senior moment no less )....The school is 50yrs old this week - but I don't think any celebrations are arranged... Ah, I think the fourth house was Neville?

Spoke to one of the old teachers tonight (Mr Hemmingway), he can't remember why the name changed but most people called it Cow Clap instead of Cow Close. Something to do with Clapgate? he was working his pipe an giggling so it was a bit indistinct. He did say that the first suggestion was De Lacey High but a lot of the boys (it was all boys) and their families objected as it sounded girlie (they were more forthright), and Harrington was the second choice.

AngryofMayfair wrote: I attended Cow Close Secondary Modern from 1960 - 1965.In those days the school had four 'houses' for the purpose of competitive games etc etc.They were Harrington (of which I was a member), Armitage, Danby and one other, whose name I forget at the moment (a senior moment no less )....The school is 50yrs old this week - but I don't think any celebrations are arranged... Ah, I think the fourth house was Neville? I was there myself at that time, i seem to think i was in Harrington as well, my strongest memories are of being caned, whacked with a slipper and having a blackboard rubber hurled at me, all in a days work for a cow close teacher, well some of them anyway. I think its called character building. I was in Tom Taylors class, a realy nice guy who held back on the violence and was a very good teacher. I have a class photo somewhere if i can find it.Its nice to hear that some of us survived to tell the tale. Ha.

I was at Harrington 1978-79 for a year before being put in a better school. I assumed it was a better school because it was "approved"....I was in Neville house and can remember well some of the teachers.Mr. Gillanders (Headmaster) Stereotypical headmaster. Mortar board and gown.Mr. Hemingway (Head of 3rd year?) Smoked a pipe?Mr. Ryder (Chemistry and my form teacher). Keen cyclist and ran school cycling club.Mr. Thompson (Physics)Mr. McHugh/Igor (Lab Technician)Mr. Steen (Geography) Crack shot with the board rubber.Mr. Brogden (Maths) Drove a Viva Firenza.Mr. Marsden (Metalwork)Mr. Handscombe (Woodwork)Mr. Burton (Technical drawing)Mr. Bramley (Art) Rode a Suzuki B120Mr. Hilditch (Games/P.E.) A 5 foot nothing lump of muscle you didn't argue with.Mr. Smith (Games/P.E.) A wannabe Mr. Hilditch....Mr. Bonner (German)There was another science teacher but I can't bring his name to mind. He wore a grubby early 1970s style suit and had a "pornstar" 'tache and glasses. We used to call him "Shakin' Stevens as he had a very nervous tremble! Was this Mr. Taylor?Can't remember the history teachers name offhand but he was a rotund chap with a bit of a comb over.The French teacher's name also eludes me. He was an older chap, softly spoken.The music teacher was a younger chap that if I recall rightly, was a bit into Pink Floyd.I remember well being caned, belted, punched, having heavy objects thrown at me and being ridiculed and that was by the teachers! Happy days....It's a pity schools these days aren't the same. You learnt respect from these guys and didn't turn out to be a homicidal maniac!!!Careful with that axe Eugene..........Cheers all

Aaagh! its all coming back to me, Mr Steen or 'Franken' thats who threw the blackboard rubber, i only have to see a blackboard now and i start whimpering and i'm in my 60's, and Mr Hilditch was the expert with the 'slipper' or white training shoe, to this day i have 'SIZE 6' imprinted on my [edited for content].I remember.Mr Taylor- scienceMr Preston- science and dubious sex education.Mr Thompson- FrenchMr Steen - projectilesMr Broadbent- woodworkMr Hemmingway- Geography?Mr Hilditch- p.e.Mr Butler - art, and i seem to remember him head butting my mate.Mr Joanadese- a gay greek who stood in front of the class licking his finger and wiping his eyebrows, the only thing he taught me was to talk with a deeper voice.At least when i left i was ready for the outside world, not very bright but ready.

Strange how time flies and painful memories seem to turn (almost) acceptable. I was there whilst it was still called Cow Close, the same name as the adjacent housing estate which was just lower down the hill. At that time I would say that its reputation warranted at least a name change, (as a full demolition and relocation would have been rather extreme).
in those (early) days as far as I can remember the teaching staff were:

Mr Curry Headmaster (Loved his short cane)
Mr Duce Deputy Head (Wizzrd with the slipper)
Mr Brooke Head of English
Mr Murgatroid Relief teacher teaching History
Mr (Forgotten his name) Music (may have something to do with the amount of attention I paid during his classes)
Mr Cooper (Old Daddy) French
Mr Bartlett Science
Mr Nutter Geography
Mr MacGeedy (Sam) English?Maths (& torture with his little leather strap)
Mr Ince PE (fabulous Blue car)
Mr Barker PE
Mr Broadbent (2) Taught metal & woodwork between them
Miss Lax Art
Mr Johanadees English Just started as I was leaving

Strange school (for the want of a better term), the upper class was G then A, B & C, of the 3 teachers of English, one was English but the other two were Irish & Greek.

Leaving at the end of the 4th year entailed me siting no national examinations and thus not picking up any paper qualifications. which proved to be quite a handicap in my earlier working life but I eventually overcame that!